Bhagavata Purana

इंद्रमखभङ्ग - श्रीशुक उवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) भगवानपि तत्रैव बलदेवेन संयुतः । अपश्यत् निवसन् गोपान् इन्द्रयागकृतोद्यमान्

Śuka said: The Lord, accompanied by Balarāma, was residing there and saw the cowherds preparing for a sacrifice to Indra.

तदभिज्ञोऽपि भगवान् सर्वात्मा सर्वदर्शनः । प्रश्रयावनतोऽपृच्छत् वृद्धान् नन्दपुरोगमान्

Although fully aware, the Lord, the soul of all and seer of everything, humbly approached and inquired of the elders, led by Nanda.

कथ्यतां मे पितः कोऽयं सम्भ्रमो व उपागतः । किं फलं कस्य चोद्देशः केन वा साध्यते मखः

Please tell me, Father, what is this commotion that has arisen? What is its purpose, for whom is it intended, and by whom is this sacrifice performed?

एतद्‍ब्रूहि महान् कामो मह्यं शुश्रूषवे पितः । न हि गोप्यं हि साधूनां कृत्यं सर्वात्मनामिह

O Father, I greatly desire to hear this; please tell me, for I am eager to listen. Indeed, the righteous, who are devoted in all ways, do not keep their actions secret.

अस्त्यस्व-परदृष्टीनां अमित्रोदास्तविद्विषाम् । उदासीनोऽरिवद् वर्ज्य आत्मवत् सुहृदुच्यते

One who is indifferent to friends, neutrals, and enemies, who is impartial and avoids hostility, is called a true friend, seeing others as oneself.

ज्ञात्वाज्ञात्वा च कर्माणि जनोऽयमनुतिष्ठति । विदुषः कर्मसिद्धिः स्यात् तथा नाविदुषो भवेत्

People perform actions both knowingly and unknowingly; for the wise, actions bring success, but not so for the unwise.

तत्र तावत् क्रियायोगो भवतां किं विचारितः । अथ वा लौकिकस्तन्मे पृच्छतः साधु भण्यताम्

So, what is the purpose of this ritual activity you have considered? Or is it merely customary? Please, as I ask, speak well and tell me.

श्रीनन्द उवाच - पर्जन्यो भगवान् इन्द्रो मेघास्तस्यात्ममूर्तयः । तेऽभिवर्षन्ति भूतानां प्रीणनं जीवनं पयः

Nanda said: The god Indra is the lord of rain; the clouds are his very form. They pour down water, which delights and sustains all beings.

तं तात वयमन्ये च वार्मुचां पतिमीश्वरम् । द्रव्यैस्तद् रेतसा सिद्धैः यजन्ते क्रतुभिर्नराः

O dear one, we and others worship that lord of the rain-bringers, the master, with offerings and sacrifices prepared with materials and clarified butter.

तच्छेषेणोपजीवन्ति त्रिवर्गफलहेतवे । पुंसां पुरुषकाराणां पर्जन्यः फलभावनः

By what remains from that, people live for the sake of the three aims of life; for human efforts, the rain-god is the cause of their fruits.

य एनं विसृजेत् धर्मं परम्पर्यागतं नरः । कामाल्लोभात् भयाद् द्वेषात् स वै नाप्नोति शोभनम्

A man who abandons this traditional dharma, passed down through generations, out of desire, greed, fear, or hatred, does not attain good fortune.

श्रीशुक उवाच - वचो निशम्य नन्दस्य तथान्येषां व्रजौकसाम् । इन्द्राय मन्युं जनयन् पितरं प्राह केशवः

Śuka said: Hearing the words of Nanda and the other residents of Vraja, Keśava, stirring up anger toward Indra, spoke to his father.

श्रीभगवानुवाच - कर्मणा जायते जन्तुः कर्मणैव विलीयते । सुखं दुःखं भयं क्षेमं कर्मणैवाभिपद्यते

The Blessed Lord said: A living being is born by action and is dissolved by action; happiness, sorrow, fear, and safety all arise from action alone.

अस्ति चेदीश्वरः कश्चित् फलरूप्यन्यकर्मणाम् । कर्तारं भजते सोऽपि न ह्यकर्तुः प्रभुर्हि सः

If there is some lord who gives the fruits of others' actions, he too depends on the doer; for he has no power over one who does not act.

किमिन्द्रेणेह भूतानां स्वस्वकर्मानुवर्तिनाम् । अनीशेनान्यथा कर्तुं स्वभावविहितं नृणाम्

What need is there for Indra among beings who follow their own actions? He is powerless to alter what is ordained by their own nature.

स्वभावतन्त्रो हि जनः स्वभावमनुवर्तते । स्वभावस्थमिदं सर्वं सदेवासुरमानुषम्

Indeed, people act according to their own nature, being governed by it; all this—gods, demons, and humans—remains established in its own nature.

देहानुच्चावचाञ्जन्तुः प्राप्योत् सृजति कर्मणा । शत्रुर्मित्रमुदासीनः कर्मैव गुरुरीश्वरः

A living being, attaining a body high or low, acts and gives up by action; friend, foe, or neutral—action alone is the teacher and lord.

तस्मात् संपूजयेत्कर्म स्वभावस्थः स्वकर्मकृत् । अन्जसा येन वर्तेत तदेवास्य हि दैवतम्

Therefore, one should worship through action, remaining in one's own nature and performing one's own duty; that by which one lives directly, that alone is truly one's deity.

आजीव्यैकतरं भावं यस्त्वन्यमुपजीवति । न तस्माद् विन्दते क्षेमं जारान्नार्यसती यथा

He who, having the means to live by one path, depends on another for his livelihood, does not attain well-being from that, just as an unchaste woman does not from a paramour.

वर्तेत ब्रह्मणा विप्रो राजन्यो रक्षया भुवः । वैश्यस्तु वार्तया जीवेत् शूद्रस्तु द्विजसेवया

A brāhmaṇa should live by Brahman, a kṣatriya by protecting the earth, a vaiśya should live by commerce, and a śūdra by serving the twice-born.

कृषिवाणिज्यगोरक्षा कुसीदं तूर्यमुच्यते । वार्ता चतुर्विधा तत्र वयं गोवृत्तयोऽनिशम्

Farming, trade, and cow protection—lending at interest and music are also said; thus, there are four kinds of livelihoods, among which we are always engaged in tending cows.

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति स्थित्युत्पत्त्यन्तहेतवः । रजसोत्पद्यते विश्वं अन्योन्यं विविधं जगत्

Sattva, rajas, and tamas are the causes of maintenance, creation, and destruction; from rajas arises the universe, the diverse world, each from the other.

रजसा चोदिता मेघा वर्षन्त्यम्बूनि सर्वतः । प्रजास्तैरेव सिध्यन्ति महेन्द्रः किं करिष्यति

Urged by rajas, the clouds pour water everywhere; by that alone do beings thrive—what then can Indra do?

न नः पुरोजनपदा न ग्रामा न गृहा वयम् । नित्यं वनौकसस्तात वनशैलनिवासिनः तस्माद्‍गवां ब्राह्मणानां अद्रेश्चारभ्यतां मखः । य इंद्रयागसंभाराः तैरयं साध्यतां मखः

We have no cities, towns, or houses; we always dwell in the forest, O dear one, living among woods and mountains. Therefore, let a sacrifice be begun for the cows, brāhmaṇas, and the mountain; let the materials for Indra's worship be used for this sacrifice.

पच्यन्तां विविधाः पाकाः सूपान्ताः पायसादयः । संयावापूपशष्कुल्यः सर्वदोहश्च गृह्यताम्

Let various kinds of cooked foods be prepared, including soups, rice puddings, and the like; let cakes, fried flour cakes, and other milk-based dishes be gathered.

हूयन्तामग्नयः सम्यग् ब्राह्मणैर्ब्रह्मवादिभिः । अन्नं बहुगुणं तेभ्यो देयं वो धेनुदक्षिणाः

Let the fires be properly offered into by brāhmaṇas learned in the Veda; let abundant, excellent food be given to them, and cows as gifts.

अन्येभ्यश्चाश्वचाण्डाल पतितेभ्यो यथार्हतः । यवसं च गवां दत्त्वा गिरये दीयतां बलिः

To others, such as horse-keepers, outcastes, and the fallen, let gifts be given as appropriate; after giving barley to the cows, let an offering be made to the mountain.

स्वलङ्‌कृता भुक्तवन्तः स्वनुलिप्ताः सुवाससः । प्रदक्षिणां च कुरुत गोविप्रानलपर्वतान्

Adorned, having eaten, anointed, and dressed in fine garments, perform circumambulation of the cows, brāhmaṇas, fires, and the mountain.

एतन्मम मतं तात क्रियतां यदि रोचते । अयं गोब्राह्मणाद्रीणां मह्यं च दयितो मखः

This is my opinion, dear one; let it be done if it pleases you. This sacrifice is dear to the cows, brāhmaṇas, the mountain, and to me.